CLEVE HALL. BY THE AUTHOR OF "AMY HERBERT," "THE EXPERIENCE OF LIFE ETC. ETC. A "Tho' justice be thy plea, consider this, Should see salvation." - The Merchant of Venice. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. NEW EDITION. LONDON: LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS. 1855. [The Author of this work reserves the right of authorising a Translation of it.] CLEVE HALL. CHAP. XXX. THE evening at the Rectory had been more pleasant than at the Lodge. The hour for tea was earlier, at least, nominally, though Mr. Lester's engagements did not always admit of his being punctual. This evening he happened to be very fairly at leisure, and had given Rachel more of his time than he was often able to do. They were very precious hours for Rachel, which were thus snatched from other duties. They tended more to enlarge and form her mind than any which were devoted to regular study. Mr. Lester's character was peculiarly simple, notwithstanding the depth of his intellect. He never dogmatised, or patronised, even when talking to a child. There was no effort to obtain influence or produce an effect, and so conversation, with him, even when touching upon the most abstruse subjects, flowed easily, because no one could feel shy, or be afraid of betraying ignorance, before one who never seemed to lose the consciousness that he himself was but a learner. It was this characteristic which had so tended to develope Rachel's intellect. It had been nurtured in |